The Sustainability Ambassadors program is on hiatus. Watch this space for updates.
Sustainability Ambassadors are University of Oregon students employed by the Office of Sustainability to provide outreach, training and education to the campus community. Ambassadors come from a variety of majors and programs including graduate students. Through their work as Ambassadors, students gain experience in positively engaging with the public and campus community and take an active role in current sustainability projects happening at the UO.
Ambassadors gain a wide variety of experience through activities such as learning and promoting zero waste practices, staffing activity and educational tables, conducting waste audits and gathering data and presenting information about energy conservation initiatives.
During academic year 2019-20, the inaugural yearof the program, Ambassadors were at the center of several innovative campus projects developed through partnerships with the Office of Sustainability. They promoted the frequent return of the diningware from Housing’s all-reusables program among residents living on campus. They also worked with the science labs on energy conservation projects, including encouraging staff to “shut the sash” and reduce energy use by closing fume hoods conducted inventories of ultra-low temperature freezers.
Through peer education and campus engagement, Ambassadors raise awareness among students and staff about how to reduce their individual environmental footprint and also about campus initiatives that collectively move UO along a more sustainable path.
Interested in having Sustainability Ambassadors help with a project? Contact Steve Mital, Director of Sustainability at smital@uoregon.edu or (541) 346-0709.
